New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-17
RELIGIOUS 1NTELLIGE nee.
NEWS AND GOSSIP OF THE CHURCHES
HERE AND THERE

10 In the General Convention anu IN sno vss.0
diocesan conventions e. well 90 In the indiudus!
parishes Mark my words, when the next General
Convention meets In New York in 1859 the Rieuans~
will be so strong that they will carry everything be-
fore them. We know OF course what that means,
auricular CONFESSIONS the doctrine of the mass, nvoca
ton of saints, the expansion OF the powers OF the
priesthood and generally Reputation OF every dis
tnctive feature OF Professionalism Look at the move
ment in the parishes to-day One alter another OF the
strongest of them 10 feeling the efects OF the new
propagandism. Tho doctrines and the services arc
being 'tonpd-uy': bits of saccrdotalism are inro-
duced sometimes under the plea that they are DIVINE
truth and sometimes because they satisfy the longing
tor aesthetic effects, or because they are so ESesu
you know. Against an open toe one might ngnt, Duc
against such insidious enemy there no adequayo
defence and quito expect some day to wake up ana
find myself an Anglo American Catholic with primt
tive Church trimmings"
It is quite likely that this clergyman exaggeratss the
tendency which he so much dslkes but there Is no
doubt that such tendency exists, not only In the
Episcopal Church but In all the churches There to
be seen in them " growing fondness for elaborate
arc hitecture, churchly" music and more stately
| ceremonial in the conduct OF public worship. Nat
urally enough people who have absorbed the lessons
to be learned from such books The House beaut-
full will not be averse to the aesthetics Ut Christian
worship In fact unasthetic religion would DO
offensive to then Hence the recent popularity OF re-
rivals of the Christian Church Even the most violent
Protestants are being slowly but surely carried down
this resstless stream OF tendency.
The liking for surpliced chors, or vested chors
as they beginning to be called IS rapidly De-
coming u craze in the Episcopal Church. Moreover.
this style of choir though OF course without the SUI
pliccs is also beginning to be tiled in many
copal Protestant churches with somewhat dououai
success. The TACT 10, an accomplished musician sau
the other day, choir OF men and boys II not very
good simply intolerabe and 1t is no exaggeration
TO saw that large percentage OF those now in exist
ence good and in the nature OF the case cannot
possibly be GOOD 1t is WELL therefore, that inc av9.
age church goer not cultivated musician, for ne
were he would often suffer the most excruciating
| agony when he went to church
aThe Boston Transcript" good-naturedly satirizes
come of the alleged worldly tendencies of the churches
in way that church members themselves VIII enjoy,
carcatures though they Here are two OF three OF
its sketohe, which puts under the heading; ""hat
| May be Expected One OF These Days.:
"The Brick Lane Church last evening filed by
large and fashionable audience gathered to welcome
the Rev. Mr. Steate. who comes TO this city with the
most Aatterng testimonials OF the pulpit and press OF
| the West, where he has filled long engagements in
| nearly all the large cities with unqualified success
Ills welcome last evening was complete Svat , anu t
most approval OF his delighted listeners
Mr. Stellaltes engagement covers the current week
not u snoud 90 early. Every evening, with matinees
| on wednesday. Saturday and Sunday
"A movement is on foot at the Swell street ChaIcn
TO have the choir and pulpit change places 1t Is bgh
time that this i'm rovement effected. Ihe wor-
shippers ut this church have too long been sbected
10 great in having to turn their heads 70
see the singers IL at time proposed to remove
the pewa and substitute swivc chairs put the sugges
ton being made that this would be an unnecessary
expense as nobody of course cared to face the pulpit
at any time during the service, 1t was Determined 70
mentioned. Strange that thi. was not thought OF be-
tore The other churches will undoubtedly follow tho
example OF this enterprsing congregation ~
ing in carriages will hereafter De admitted TO the ser
vices at the Sazarene Church The practice OF admit
ting pedestrians had resulted In the attendance OF
scores of persons of the lower classes almost every
Sunday until the annoyance became quite unbeatable
Tho Nazarvne Church has made move in the rghe
direction.
awe are pleased to be able to inform our readers
that the Buckminster Avenue Church has Just been
furnished with new range ana a t ,o hasr 81 rc
AWAKENING Of interest among the worshippers at this
elegant tabe nace in consequence OF this new con-
formed that the formation OF amateur theatrical
club is on tho taps, and that it will include in Its
| membership many of best citizens. We are re.
onesed to saw that parties hereafter hiring the chapel
for balls and like entertainments have the use OF
the range and cooking utensils at small additional ex
pensc."
Although in many great interests are involved,
the Eater elections for wardens and vestrymen IN
Episcopal churches are usually very quiet affairs In
deed tor a large Der of people to turn GUS to vote
for these officers sligo OF trouble in the parish
For where things are running oothiy no one taxes
the trouble to CO. For instance in large and we'll
at the Easter parish meeting but the assistant minis
ter one pew-hoder and tho sexton. The assistant
minister took the chair and appointed the pew-hoder
secretary. Then at the suggestion OF the sccretar
the clerg man the OF the old wardens and
vestrymen on the margin OF morning newspaper.
which he gave to the sexton. The sexton solemniy
put the slip IN his hat men inc seeretary 'ook the
chairman de clared them UNANIMOUSLY elected lot the
ensuing year The great majority OF Easter elections
are nearly as informal as this one.
Both Presbyterans and Episcopa,ians will be inter-
ested in the comparison which The Interior" Pres
bJterlan) makes between the Presby terrain and he
| Episcopal Churches. In 1871 it says, the re-
united Presbyterian Church tNorthern reported an
aggregate membership of 455,37S, in 1883 one OF
GOO 800 The rate Of tor the period embraced
in those figures was, sag, 80 per cent. In the year
| 1871 the Protestant Episcopal Church reported
| 236 929 communicates in 1883 II was able to report
| 3724S4-a gain within the same period OF q little
moro than 81 per cent-26 per cent more than ours.
The fact that the Protestant Episcopal Church covers
entire country while ours covers but part OF IT,
can of course have influence upon the percentage
of increase of either But let 90 step further in
this comparison In 1871 the total contributions of
our Presbyterian churches for churcn work
ported as amounting to 80, o97 3o6 in 1883 those
of 30 per cent In 1871 the total offerings OF the
Protestant Episcopal Church Tor missions were re-
ported at S16, 1884 712 in 1888 at $23,2l7 765-an
Increase OF AZ per cent Ii has given pain and not
pleasure to present these comparisons but il they shall
stimulate people to first aid their own work. as our
Episcopal brethren do and to initiate them in an in-
creased beraty and in jealous Efforts in the work OF
home missions labor, unpleasant as it has been.
will not have been in vain"
alt is quite possible" says " The Guardian" Of
London to overdo the quantity OF flowers in q
church. No one in private house thinks of heaping
flowers unfortunately the tables we sec them
very often heaped the affairs of churches. There
is point which decoration ceases to be beautiful or
devotional and becomes rreverent; and that point is
not unfrequeny reached under the present regime Of
excessive rivalry in decorating. To altar over
loaded with meaningless masses OF flowers, to hear
sermon delivered from amidst sort of hedge OF
leaves to 80 ones distracted By novel and in
congruous lines of these experiences